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Synagogue, Jewish school fire Baltimore rabbi over molestation chargesShmuel Krawatsky’s dismissal comes after publication of article alleging he inappropriately touched 3 boys at Jewish camp. JTA Following molestation allegations against an Orthodox rabbi who taught children at a Baltimore-area summer camp, the private school that employed him has terminated his employment there. Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School announced the termination of Rabbi Shmuel […]

Following molestation allegations against an Orthodox rabbi who taught children at a Baltimore-area summer camp, the private school that employed him has terminated his employment there.

Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School announced the termination of Rabbi Shmuel Krawatsky’s employment Thursday, following the publication by The Jewish Week of an article featuring allegations against him. Parents of three boys reportedly said he molested them in 2015 while acting as counselor at Camp Shoresh.

Krawatsky’s lawyer told the weekly that the rabbi denies the allegations. He passed a polygraph test in 2015 in which he was asked about them.

Krawatsky was the subject of a police investigation in 2015 but Lindell Angel, assistant state’s attorney in Frederick County and the chief of the sex crimes and child abuse unit, decided not to pursue criminal charges against the rabbi due to “the lack of evidence and witnesses.”

In a transcript of one interview with an alleged victim, the boy said the rabbi was naked and alone in the pool changing room with two children, touched the young boys inappropriately and then asked them to touch his “private parts” in exchange for $100.

“As a result of the allegations detailed in yesterday’s Jewish Week article, Beth Tfiloh has terminated Rabbi Shmuel Krawatsky’s employment. Rabbi Krawatsky will not be on our premises, and will not have any contact with our students,” Zipora Schorr, director of education at Beth Tfiloh Dahan wrote in a statement.

Married and the father of four, Krawatsky lives in Baltimore and taught Judaic studies at Beth Tfiloh. He also ran youth programming at Suburban Orthodox Toras Chaim, a large Orthodox synagogue in Baltimore. He began working at Camp Shoresh, an outreach, or kiruv, camp, in the early 2000s.

Krawatsky resigned from his position at Suburban Orthodox Toras Chaim following the publication of articles about him on The Jewish Week, the weekly reported.

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